JP2015522466A - Aircraft airbag system - Google Patents

Abstract

An airbag system assembly configured to be positioned inside a vehicle includes a rear wall configured to be positioned in front of a passenger seat and an airbag system. The rear wall includes a front surface and a rear surface, and the rear wall includes at least a first flap formed by a plurality of weakening lines on the front surface. The airbag system includes at least a first airbag module, the first airbag module having a first airbag support plate having a front surface and a rear surface. The first airbag support plate is fixed to the front surface of the rear wall. The first airbag support plate is configured to be deployed in a collision state, and includes a first airbag provided on the rear surface of the first airbag support plate. The first airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap.

Description

  REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR RELATED APPLICATIONS: This application is a US Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 656,983 filed on June 7, 2012, US Provisional Patent Application No. 61/696, filed September 4, 2012, No. 697 and US Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 810,204, filed April 9, 2013, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  The present invention relates generally to aircraft monuments, and more particularly to aircraft monuments positioned in front of passenger seats and including airbag systems.

  Commercial aircraft such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 are typically composed of a plurality of modular parts, the size, weight and configuration of these modular parts including fuselage dimensions, aesthetics and safety. It is determined by considering many matters. Many of these requirements are imposed by law or regulation. All aircraft components such as overhead storage space (baggage storage space), seats, restroom, cooking room, closet (space for storage), lighting equipment, etc. are required to function in a strictly limited space. It is done.

  Aircraft manufacturers are required to achieve higher comfort and practicality for passengers and crew, within the cost, weight, maintenance downtime and safety limits imposed by the transportation company, and In order to find ways to increase revenue by adding seats, the interior design of aircraft is constantly being improved. Commercial passenger aircraft generally include a closet for use by passengers and crew.

  Prior art aircraft monuments are typically fixed structures with a rectangular mounting surface. In some aircraft, the monument is positioned just in front of the passenger seat.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closet monument assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the flaps in hidden lines. FIG. 1A is an elevational view of the inside surface of the top panel of the closet monument assembly of FIG. 1, showing the cuts formed in the top panel. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a V-shape (cross-sectional shape) of one of the cuts. FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view showing another cross-sectional shape of one of the cuts. FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view of a tear seam. FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the closet monument assembly of FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the closet monument assembly of FIG. 1 showing a passenger sitting in a seat proximate to the closet monument assembly. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the closet monument assembly of FIG. 1, with the top and bottom panels removed to show the components therein. 4A is a rear perspective view of the airbag module of the closet monument assembly of FIG. FIG. 5 is an internal view of a portion of the closet monument assembly of FIG. 1, showing the airbag module disposed therein. FIG. 5A is a front perspective view of the airbag module of the closet monument assembly of FIG. FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a closet monument assembly according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a monument assembly according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a side elevational view of the monument assembly of FIG. 7 with an airbag deployed from the monument assembly. FIG. 7B is a side elevational view of the monument assembly of FIG. 7, but with an airbag system mounted on the rear wall of the monument assembly and the airbag unfolding from the monument assembly. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the monument assembly with two generally spherical airbags in the deployed position. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a monument assembly with one airbag in a deployed state, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a monument assembly comprising a plurality of vertically spaced airbags according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of a monument assembly with one large airbag protecting the entire row, according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 12 is a perspective view of the monument assembly of FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a monument assembly according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the monument assembly includes a plurality of attachment points and the airbag is in a folded state. FIG. 14 is a view showing the airbag of FIG. 13 in a folded state together with a plurality of fixing points. FIG. 15 is a view after the airbag of FIG. 13 is inflated. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the monument assembly of FIG. 13 and shows a state where the airbag is deployed. FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the outer shape of another embodiment of a monument assembly taught herein. FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the outer shape of another embodiment of a monument assembly taught herein. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a cooking chamber monument assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with a portion of the rear wall cut away to show the airbag module. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the airbag module. FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an airbag module including an inflator tank at a remote location. FIG. 22 is a cutaway cross-sectional view of an airbag module including a tear seam according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 23 is a cutaway cross-sectional view of a portion of the airbag module of FIG. 22, showing a fabric hinge (woven fabric hinge). FIG. 24 is a cutaway cross-sectional view of the airbag module of FIG. 22 and shows a state where the flap is peeled off at the tear seam. FIG. 25 is another cutaway cross-sectional view of the airbag module of FIG. 22 showing a fabric hinge. FIG. 26 is a side elevational view of a passenger hitting an airbag after a crash condition. FIG. 27 is a side cross-sectional view of an airbag module according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, an airbag system assembly configured to be positioned inside a vehicle, a rear wall configured to be positioned in front of a passenger seat, and an airbag system; An airbag system assembly is provided. The rear wall has a front surface and a rear surface, and the rear wall includes a first flap formed by a plurality of weakening lines (weak lines) at least on the front surface. The airbag system includes at least a first airbag module having a first airbag support plate having a front surface and a rear surface. The first airbag support plate is fixed to the front surface of the rear wall, and the first airbag support plate is configured to be deployed in a collision state and the first airbag support plate A first airbag provided on the rear surface is included. The first airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of weakening lines include a left weakening line, a right weakening line, and one of a top weakening line and a bottom weakening line that cooperatively define one of the top hinge part and the bottom hinge part. . Preferably, the airbag system includes at least a second airbag module having a second airbag support plate having a front surface and a rear surface. The second airbag support plate is fixed to the front surface of the rear wall, and the second airbag support plate is configured to be deployed in a collision state and the rear surface of the second airbag support plate The 2nd airbag provided in is included. The second airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap, and the first airbag and the second airbag are configured to be associated with separate passengers in the vehicle.

  In a preferred embodiment, the airbag system further includes at least a first inflator tank (an air tank), and the first inflator tank is positioned on the front surface of the first airbag support plate. Preferably, the rear wall includes an upper panel, a lower panel, and an intermediate panel positioned between the upper panel and the lower panel. The upper panel and the lower panel are positioned so that they are not vertically aligned (not aligned). In a preferred embodiment, the second airbag module is positioned below the first airbag module on the rear wall. The first airbag module is positioned to be contacted by a passenger's head in the event of a collision, and the second airbag module is contacted by a body part below the passenger's head. Positioned. In another embodiment, the first airbag is large enough to be contacted by a passenger's head and a portion of the body below the passenger's head after deployment of the first airbag. Composed.

  According to another aspect of the invention, a closet monument assembly configured to be positioned inside a vehicle is provided. The closet monument assembly includes a closet monument that includes a front wall, a rear wall, an outer wall, and an inner wall that cooperate to define a monument interior, and an air attached to the rear wall or provided within the monument. Includes bag system. The inner wall includes at least a first door that provides access to the first storage chamber. The airbag system includes at least a first airbag configured to deploy in the event of a collision. The rear wall includes a front surface and a rear surface. The airbag system is provided inside the monument and fixed to the front surface of the rear wall. The rear wall includes a first flap formed by a plurality of weakening lines on the front surface thereof, and the first airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap. In a preferred embodiment, the airbag system is at least partially housed in an airbag chamber, and the inner wall includes an airbag access door that provides access to the airbag chamber. Preferably, the closet monument includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and the depth of the upper portion is larger than the depth of the lower portion.

  In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a cooking chamber monument assembly configured to be positioned within a vehicle is provided. The cooking chamber monument assembly includes a cooking chamber monument that includes a front wall, a rear wall, an outer wall, and an inner wall that cooperate to define a monument interior. The rear wall includes a front surface and a rear surface, a first flap formed by a first weakened line set formed on the rear wall, and a second formed by a second weakened line set formed on the rear wall. Includes flaps. The cooking chamber monument assembly also includes first and second airbag modules that include first and second airbag support plates, respectively, secured to the rear wall of the cooking chamber monument. The first and second airbag support plates are configured to be deployed in the front and rear surfaces in the collision state, and the first airbag provided on the rear surface of the first airbag support plate and in the collision state And a second airbag provided on the rear surface of the second airbag support plate. The first airbag is positioned in proximity to the first flap, and the second airbag is positioned in proximity to the second flap. In a preferred embodiment, the weakening line comprises a tear seam formed on the rear wall. Preferably, the first airbag support plate includes a first inflator tank fixed to the front surface thereof, and the second airbag support plate includes a second inflator tank fixed to the front surface thereof. In another embodiment, the first airbag module includes a first inflator tank secured to a portion of the cooking chamber monument at a location remote from the first airbag support plate, and the second airbag module comprises And a second inflator tank secured to a portion of the cooking chamber monument at a location remote from the second airbag support plate.

  In a preferred embodiment, the cooking chamber monument assembly further includes a third airbag module including a third airbag support plate secured to the rear wall of the cooking chamber monument. The third airbag support plate includes a front and rear surfaces, and a third airbag provided on the rear surface of the third airbag support plate and configured to deploy in a collision state. The third airbag is positioned adjacent to a third flap formed by a set of third weakening lines formed in the rear wall. Preferably, at least the first airbag module includes a first door positioned proximate to the first airbag support plate. The first door is movable between an open position and a closed position, and is hingedly fixed to the front surface of the rear wall by a flexible strap.

  Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to airbags for use in passenger transport vehicles. Airbags are designed to safely stop passengers from being thrown forward in the event of a collision. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes an aircraft closet airbag system that includes a monument that is preferably positioned in front of a row of passenger seats (eg, the front row, etc.). The system includes a support assembly that secures the airbag to the back wall of the closet and directs the airbag outwardly toward the passenger during deployment. In a preferred embodiment, the rear wall of the closet facilitates airbag deployment by partially cutting (structurally weakening) the wall. The airbag is preferably deployed by at least one gas inflator controlled by an airbag control unit. The airbag control unit detects the collision state and starts the gas inflator accordingly.

  In another embodiment, the airbag module (airbag cushion, box, inflator, etc.) can be attached to the outside of the monument wall (not inside the monument).

  In use, the front row of monuments allows the passenger seat to move closer to the monument than the current guaranteeable distance. This allows a further row of passenger seats to be inserted into the aircraft. However, this does not limit the invention. This is because the airbag system has been positioned at the rear part of the monument, thereby reducing the head collision distance guaranteed.

  The disclosures of Quatanens US Patent Publication No. 2013/0088056 and Jarboe US Patent Publication No. 2013/0106079 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

  The following description and drawings are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure, but in some cases, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description . References to an embodiment or an embodiment in this disclosure can be a reference to the same embodiment, but this is not necessarily the case, and such a reference means at least one of the embodiments.

  References herein to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. means. Although the phrase “in one embodiment” is described at various places in the specification, these descriptions do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, and exclude each other embodiment. It is not a separate or alternative embodiment. Furthermore, although various features are described, some embodiments may exhibit that feature, while other embodiments may not. Similarly, various requirements are described, which may be a requirement of some embodiments, but may not be a requirement of another embodiment.

  The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinary meanings in the art, within the context of this disclosure and within the specific context where each term is used. Certain terms used to describe the disclosure are set forth below or elsewhere in the specification to provide those of ordinary skill in the art with further guidance regarding the disclosure. For convenience, certain terms may be highlighted, for example using italics and / or quotation marks. The use of emphasis does not affect the scope and meaning of the term, and the scope and meaning of the term are the same in the same context, whether or not it is emphasized.

  It will be understood that the same thing can be represented in more than one way. Thus, alternative words and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein. Whether the terms are detailed or discussed in the text should not have any special significance. Synonyms are provided for certain terms. The mention of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. Use of examples anywhere in this specification, including examples of any terms discussed herein, is merely illustrative and further restricts the scope and meaning of the disclosed or any exemplified terms Is not intended. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments given in this specification.

  Without intending to further limit the scope of the disclosure, examples of instruments, devices, methods and results relating thereto according to embodiments of the present disclosure are provided below. For the convenience of the reader, headings or subheadings may be used in the examples, but the scope of the disclosure is not limited in any way. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. In case of dispute, the present document, including definitions, will take precedence.

  “Front”, “Rear”, “Top”, “Bottom”, “Side”, “Short”, “Long”, “Up”, “Down”, “Back”, “Front”, “ It is understood that terms such as “in-flight”, “out-of-flight” and “downward” are merely for ease of explanation and refer to the orientation (positioning) of the components as shown in the drawings. It should be. It should be understood that any orientation of the components described herein is within the scope of the present invention.

  Further, the use of “rear”, “front”, “inner”, “outer” with respect to the components of the closet monument assembly described herein positions the closet monument assembly within the aircraft. It will be understood that reference is made to the orientation of the case.

  Referring to the drawings, the illustration is for the purpose of illustrating the invention in illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the invention. FIGS. 1-13 illustrate an embodiment of an airbag system 10 that is incorporated into a closet monument 12 (generally, the airbag system 10 and the closet monument 12 are collectively referred to as a closet monument assembly 14). In particular, the present invention is intended for use in commercial passenger aircraft, but this is not a limitation of the present invention and the airbag system can be used anywhere.

  In a preferred embodiment, the closet monument assembly 14 is configured to be installed at the front of the aircraft. However, this does not limit the invention. The closet monument assembly 14 can be installed at any location on the aircraft.

  It should be understood that the airbag system 10 can be provided in other aircraft monuments or aircraft components and need not be limited to closets. For example, the airbag system 10 can be located in or on the wall of a restroom monument, can be located in or on the wall of a cooking room monument, or can be located in front of a passenger or crew seat. It can be located in or on other bulkheads or components. The use of closet monuments in this text is for illustration only.

  As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the closet monument assembly 14 generally includes a closet monument 12 and an airbag system 10. The closet monument 12 generally includes a front wall 16, a rear wall 18, an inner wall 17, and an outer wall 19 that cooperate to define a monument interior 12a. The closet monument 12 also includes first, second and third storage chambers 20a, 20b and 20c (which include doors 21a, 21b and 21c). As is known, the closet monument 12 is shaped to fit snugly against the interior wall of the aircraft. Although the first, second and third storage chambers 20a, 20b and 20c are shown in the drawings, any number of storage chambers is within the scope of the present invention.

  In the preferred embodiment, the rear wall 18 includes an upper panel 24, a lower panel 26, and an intermediate panel 28 therebetween. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 3, the rear wall 18 is bent at a linear or curved angle away from the seated passenger to provide additional foot space (foot rest). ) Panel 30 is included. In other words, the footrest panel 30 is bent at an angle downward from the lower panel 26 toward the front wall 16. As shown in FIG. 6, in another embodiment, the footrest panel 30 can be spaced from the floor and can extend rearward generally parallel to the ground. In other words, the footrest panel 30 can extend at any angle between 0 ° (vertical) and 90 ° (horizontal).

  In the preferred embodiment, the airbag system 10 includes an airbag module 32 positioned in the airbag chamber 34 proximate to or secured to the rear wall 18. Preferably, the airbag system 10 is provided on top of the closet monument 12 so that the airbag module 32 is positioned adjacent to or secured to the upper panel 24 of the rear wall 18. However, without limitation, the airbag module 32 can also be positioned in proximity to the lower panel 26, the intermediate panel 28, or any combination of these panels, or the lower panel 26, the intermediate panel 28, or any combination of these panels.

  As shown in FIGS. 4A-5A, in a preferred embodiment, the airbag module 32 includes an airbag support plate 36 having a front surface 36a and a rear surface 36b. Preferably, one or more airbags 38 are attached to the rear surface 36b of the airbag support plate 36, and additional components necessary for operation of the airbag 38 are attached to the front surface 36a of the airbag support plate 36. Such additional components include, but are not limited to, power control panel 40, RFID antenna 42, inflator tank 44 and inflator tube 46. Positioning these components on the airbag support plate 36 does not limit the present invention. For example, some, any, or all of these components can be positioned on or secured to other walls or panels of the monument, or within the monument or elsewhere It can be located at any vacant place. As shown in FIG. 4A, in a preferred embodiment, the airbag support plate 36 includes screws, struts or any type of securing means 48 for attachment to the rear wall 18.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, in the preferred embodiment, the top panel 24 is formed with partial cuts or cuts 50 to facilitate deployment of the deployed airbag 38 through the rear wall 18. In another embodiment, the top panel 24 or posterior wall 18 may include a tear seam (see FIG. 1D and further description below), a fault line, a series of dashed lines / cuts, or other weakening lines. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the cut 50 can be a cut through the rear wall 18. In another embodiment, the rear wall 18 can include a tear seam having a fabric or the like therein that creates a weakened line. The tear seam can be integrally formed with the panel itself (ie, a honeycomb panel) or with a decorative film or fabric covering the panel. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1B, the notch 50 is formed in the front surface 24a and does not extend to the rear surface 24b. In this embodiment, the top panel 24 is fragile, but the passenger will not see any breaks, or the passenger will not notice that the airbag is positioned across the wall. Any weakening line that allows the airbag to break through walls, panels, films, fabrics, etc., such as partitions and monuments is within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, any notches, cuts, tear seams, weakening lines, dashed lines, dotted lines, etc. described herein or known to those skilled in the art are generally referred to herein as weakening lines.

  Any notch shape (cross-sectional shape) is within the scope of the present invention, but a “V-shaped” notch shape as shown in FIG. 1B is preferred. For example, the angle can be between 0 ° and 70 °. In another embodiment, the notch can have a “U-shaped” shape, and its bottom surface can be curved or flat as shown in FIG. 1C. Further, as shown in FIG. 1A, in a preferred embodiment, the cut 50 defines a flap 52 having a right cut, a bottom cut and a left cut 50a, 50b and 50c that cooperate to define a top hinge portion 50d. In this embodiment, no cut is formed in the top of the flap 52, thereby creating a top hinge 50d. When the airbag 38 is deployed, the airbag 38 aligned with the flap 52 breaks through the rear wall 18, but the flap 52 does not separate and instead pivots (turns) upward. This helps protect passengers. In another embodiment, the flap 52 includes a left cut, a right cut, and a top cut that cooperate to define a bottom hinge. The left hinge part and the right hinge part are also within the scope of the present invention. In another embodiment, the flap 52 can be defined by a weakening line 50 that extends all around it. In this embodiment, the flap 52 is completely peeled away from the rear wall 18. In the preferred embodiment, the airbag chamber 34 includes an airbag access door 54. Thereby, access to the airbag system 10 becomes possible, and maintenance can be performed. Although it is preferred that nothing be visible to the passengers on the rear face of the rear wall 18, it will be understood that the flap 52 and the notch are shown in hidden lines in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the preferred embodiment, the rear wall 18 includes an intermediate panel 28. The intermediate panel 28 can be arcuate even if curved as shown, or it can be straight as shown in FIGS. It will be appreciated that the intermediate panel 28 is positioned between the upper portion 56 and the lower portion 58 of the closet monument 12. As best shown in FIG. 3, in a preferred embodiment, the lower portion 58 has a front-to-back dimension (referred to herein as “depth”) that is smaller than the upper portion 56. Therefore, the depth D1 of the upper part 56 is larger than the depth D2 of the lower part 58. Thereby, the closet monument assembly 14 can be positioned behind the place where the prior art monument is positioned. This is possible because the lower part 58 provides ample leg or foot space to the passenger, but the upper part 56 moves backward as a result of the airbag 38 being positioned in the upper part 56. Is acceptable. As a result, the front wall 16 of the closet monument assembly 14 is positioned behind the location where the front wall of the prior art monument is positioned. This creates the possibility of installing more seats in the aircraft.

  6-13 show other embodiments of the closet monument assembly 14. It will be understood that many of the details, such as closet doors, are omitted from some of the drawings. However, any of the components shown in FIGS. 1-5 are within the scope of other embodiments.

  FIG. 6 shows the closet monument assembly 14 with the air bag chamber 34 or air bag housing secured to the rear wall 18 of the closet monument 12. Further, the rear wall 18 is spaced from the aircraft floor to provide additional foot space for the passengers.

  FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the width of the airbag chamber 34 or airbag housing in which the airbag 38 is stored is approximately the same as the width of the closet monument 12. However, this does not limit the invention. The airbag 38 and / or the airbag housing or airbag chamber 34 in which the airbag 38 is stored can have any width. Also, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the housing can be placed inside the monument or attached to the outside of the monument. 7A and 7B show a flap 52 that has ruptured outward after the airbag 38 (or a plurality of airbags 38) has been deployed.

  Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of airbags and airbags of any shape are within the scope of the present invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the airbag 38 can be rounded (spherical). In addition, the spherical airbag 38 can be associated with an individual passenger or with one or more passengers (eg, one spherical airbag for one monument). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, the airbag 38 can be rectangular. Furthermore, each seat can have one airbag 38 or multiple airbags 38 associated with each seat. Alternatively, a single (single) airbag 38 can be associated with one or more seats or rows as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in another embodiment, multiple airbags 38 can be associated with a single seat to protect different parts of the passenger's body. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, separate airbags 38 are positioned to protect the passenger's head and body parts under the passenger's head, such as arms, knees and / or feet. In this embodiment, separate airbag modules 32 can be provided perpendicularly to each other. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, in another embodiment, a single (single) large airbag 38 can be deployed to protect multiple parts of the passenger's body.

  13-16 illustrate another embodiment in which the airbag system 10 includes a plurality of anchor points 60 that help position the deployed airbag 38 as desired. For example, the airbag system 10 may include a plurality of tethers 62 that are positioned below the airbag chamber 34 to help position (position) the lower portion of the airbag 38. These tethers 62 can break through the rear wall 18 via a weakening line or the like as necessary.

  The airbag can be deployed or inflated by any method known in the art. For example, the airbag can be inflated using a gas inflator, a pyro (pyrotechnic) inflator, or a combination thereof.

  FIGS. 19-26 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention that includes an airbag system 10 incorporated in a cooking chamber monument 70 (generally herein, the airbag system 10 and the cooking chamber monument 70 are cooked together. Room monument assembly 72). It is understood that the airbag system 10 and modules are included in the cooking chamber monuments are merely exemplary, and the airbag system can be included in any monument, divider, wall, etc. positioned in front of the passenger. right. As shown in FIG. 19, the cooking chamber monument assembly preferably includes three separate airbag modules 32 positioned on the rear wall 18, each of which is a passenger or Associated with one seat. It will be appreciated that FIG. 19 shows a portion of the rear wall 18 that has been cut away so that the airbag module 32 can be seen. In a preferred embodiment, each airbag module 32 is formed integrally with wall 18 (wall 18 is preferably a honeycomb panel).

  As shown in FIG. 20, in a preferred embodiment, the airbag module 32 includes an airbag support plate 36, and an inflator tank 44 is fixed to the front surface 36a of the airbag support plate 36 by a clamp 74 or the like. The folded airbag 38 is fixed to the rear surface 36b. The airbag module also includes an inflator tube or inflator hose 46 (or a plurality of inflator tubes or inflator hoses 46) necessary to connect the inflator tank 44 to the airbag 38. In the preferred embodiment, the airbag module 32, including the airbag support plate 36, the inflator tank 44, the airbag 38, one or more inflator tubes 46, and other necessary components, is mounted on the rear wall 18. Two (single) units.

  As shown in FIG. 21, in another embodiment, the inflator tank 44 can be installed at a remote location. In other words, the inflator tank 44 can be installed at a location other than the surface of the airbag support plate 36 and is separated from the rest of the airbag module 32. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the airbag module 32 can include a removable cover or door 76 that provides access to the airbag 38 and / or the airbag module 32 for maintenance. In different embodiments, the inflator tank 44 can be mounted on the door 76 or can be remote from the door 76.

  FIGS. 22-25 show an airbag module 78 integrally formed on the rear wall 18 (or any other monument or wall) of the cooking chamber monument 70. In general, this embodiment includes a flap 52 in the monument's rear wall 18, a weakened line that includes a tear seam 82 that defines the flap, and air secured in proximity to the rear door or cover 84 that is torn off when the airbag is deployed. A bag 38 is provided. In this embodiment, the rear wall 18 is formed with an air bag 38, an air bag support plate 36, a cover or front door 76, and an opening 80 that at least partially houses a mechanical boundary fuse or tear seam 82. Yes. The tear seam 82 can be formed of any material that is structurally weaker than the material of the rear wall 18 and that allows the rear door 84 to be peeled away so that the airbag 38 can be deployed. For example, the tear seam 82 can be formed from foam (sponge), fabric, or other filler. In the preferred embodiment, the rear wall 18, rear door 84, airbag, etc. are covered by a decorative film 86, which helps to hide the airbag and related components. As shown in FIG. 22, the tear seam 82 can extend into the decorative film 86.

  In a preferred embodiment, the airbag module 78 is a flexible strap or fabric that mechanically attaches the front door 76 to the rear wall 18 and allows the front door 76 to open to service the airbag 38 and related components. A hinge (woven hinge) 88 is included.

  FIG. 27 shows another embodiment that includes an airbag module 90 that is secured to the rear wall 18 of the monument and includes the inflator tank 44, the airbag 38, and other necessary components. In a housing 92 having a weakening line 50 therein. As shown, the housing 92, the airbag 38, and the inflator tank 44 include a securing or mounting component 94 for securing the airbag module 90 to the rear wall 18. In a preferred embodiment, the housing is made of polycarbonate or the like, and the upper portion 92a of the housing 92 is smoothly curved. This helps to prevent the housing 92 from breaking when the airbag is deployed and the housing 92 is hinged upward.

  Throughout the specification and claims, terms such as “including”, “comprising”, “having” are not exclusive or exhaustive unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Should be construed in a comprehensive sense, ie “including but not limited to”. As used herein, any term “connected”, “coupled” or any variation thereof refers to any direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more components. To do. The coupling or connection between the components can be physical, logical or a combination thereof. Further, when the terms “in the text”, “in the above”, “in the following” and similar terms are used in this application, they refer to the entire application, and any particular It does not mention the part. Where permitted by context, the terms using the singular or plural in the above “Preferred Mode for Carrying Out the Invention” may also include the plural or singular respectively. The term “or” with respect to a list of two or more items shall mean the interpretation of the following terms: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list. Cover.

  The disclosed embodiments detailed above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the teachings of the invention to the precise forms disclosed above. While specific embodiments and examples of the disclosure have been described above for purposes of illustration, various equivalent modifications may be made within the scope of the disclosure, as will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the relevant art. is there. Further, any specific numerical values described in the text are merely examples. In alternative implementations, different values, dimensions (measurements) or ranges may be used.

  The teachings of the disclosure described herein are not necessarily limited to the systems described above, but can be applied to other systems. The elements and operations of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Any dimensions described or used herein are exemplary only and do not limit the invention. Other dimensions can also be used.

  The disclosures of any patents, applications and other references mentioned above, including any references that may be listed in the accompanying application documents, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Aspects of the present disclosure can be modified as necessary to use the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above, and can provide further embodiments of the present disclosure.

  These and other changes to the present disclosure can be made in view of the above “Preferred Mode for Carrying Out the Invention”. While the above description describes certain disclosed embodiments and describes the best mode anticipated, many methods may be used, no matter how detailed the description appears to be in the text. The present teaching can be executed. The details of the system may vary greatly depending on the details of its implementation, but are still encompassed by the subject matter disclosed herein. As mentioned above, a particular term used to describe a feature or aspect of this disclosure is intended to be limited to any specific characteristic, feature or aspect of the disclosure with which the term is associated. Should not be construed to imply that is redefined in the text. In general, the terms used in the following claims are intended to be illustrative of the present disclosure, unless such terms are explicitly defined above in the section “Preferred Mode for Carrying Out the Invention”. It is not intended to be limited to specific embodiments. Accordingly, the actual scope of the disclosure encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosure under the claims.

  While certain aspects of the disclosure are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventors contemplate the various aspects of the disclosure in any number of claim forms. For example, only one of the disclosed aspects is described as a means plus function claim (functional expression claim) under 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, but the other aspects are likewise a means plus function claim. Or may be embodied in other forms, such as embodied in a computer readable medium (intended to be handled under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph) Any claim that may contain the term "means for"). Accordingly, Applicant reserves the right to add additional claims after filing to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the disclosure.

  Thus, although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, all terms used herein are non-limiting rather than restrictive (descriptive) and are commonly used in the art. It should be understood that many changes, modifications (modifications) and substitutions may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

Claims (24)

An airbag system assembly configured to be positioned inside a vehicle, comprising:
A rear wall configured to be positioned in front of a passenger seat;
An airbag system including at least a first airbag module having a first airbag support plate having a front surface and a rear surface;
The rear wall has a front surface and a rear surface, and includes a first flap formed by a plurality of weakening lines at least on the front surface;
The first airbag support plate is fixed to the front surface of the rear wall;
The first airbag support plate is configured to be deployed in a collision state and includes a first airbag provided on the rear surface of the first airbag support plate,
An airbag system assembly in which the first airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap.   The plurality of weakening lines includes a left weakening line, a right weakening line, and one of a top weakening line and a bottom weakening line that cooperatively define one of a top hinge portion and a bottom hinge portion. Air bag system assembly. The airbag system includes at least a second airbag module having a second airbag support plate having a front surface and a rear surface;
The second airbag support plate is fixed to the front surface of the rear wall;
The second airbag support plate includes a second airbag configured to be deployed in a collision state and provided on the rear surface of the second airbag support plate;
The second airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap;
The airbag system assembly of claim 2, wherein the first airbag and the second airbag are configured to be associated with separate passengers in the vehicle.   The airbag system assembly according to claim 1, wherein the airbag system further comprises at least a first inflator tank, and the first inflator tank is positioned on the front surface of the first airbag support plate. The rear wall includes an upper panel, a lower panel, and an intermediate panel positioned between the upper panel and the lower panel;
The airbag system assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper panel and the lower panel are positioned such that they are not vertically aligned. The second airbag module is positioned below the first airbag module in the rear wall;
The first airbag module is positioned to be contacted by a passenger's head in the event of a collision;
The airbag system assembly of claim 3, wherein the second airbag module is positioned to be contacted by a body part below the head of the passenger.   The first airbag is configured to be large enough to be contacted by a passenger's head and a portion of the body below the passenger's head after deployment of the first airbag. An airbag system assembly according to claim 1. A closet monument assembly configured to be positioned inside a vehicle,
A closet monument including a front wall, a rear wall, an outer wall and an inner wall that cooperate to define the monument interior;
An airbag system attached to the rear wall or provided inside the monument,
The inner wall includes at least a first door providing access to the first storage chamber;
A closet monument assembly, wherein the airbag system includes at least a first airbag configured to deploy in a crash condition. The rear wall includes a front surface and a rear surface;
The airbag system is provided inside the monument and fixed to the front surface of the rear wall;
The rear wall includes a first flap formed by a plurality of weakening lines at the front surface thereof;
The closet monument assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap.   10. The plurality of weakening lines include a left weakening line that cooperatively defines one of a top hinge portion and a bottom hinge portion, a right weakening line, and one of a top weakening line and a bottom weakening line. Closet monument assembly. The airbag system is at least partially stored in an airbag chamber;
The closet monument assembly according to claim 10, wherein the inner wall includes an airbag access door that provides access to the airbag chamber. The airbag system includes an airbag module comprising an airbag support plate having a front surface and a rear surface;
The first airbag is provided on the rear surface of the airbag support plate;
9. A closet monument assembly according to claim 8, wherein the airbag support plate is secured to the rear wall of the closet monument. The airbag system further includes at least a first inflator tank,
The closet monument assembly according to claim 12, wherein the first inflator tank is positioned on the front surface of the airbag support plate. The closet monument includes an upper portion and a lower portion;
The closet monument assembly according to claim 8, wherein the upper depth is greater than the lower depth.   The closet monument assembly of claim 14, wherein the rear wall includes an upper panel, a lower panel, and an intermediate panel positioned between the upper panel and the lower panel. The upper panel of the rear wall includes a front surface and a rear surface;
The airbag system is provided inside the monument and fixed to the front surface of the top panel,
The rear wall includes a first flap formed by a plurality of weakening lines at the front surface thereof;
The closet monument assembly according to claim 15, wherein the first airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap. The airbag system is stored in an airbag chamber;
The closet monument assembly of claim 16, wherein the inner wall includes an airbag access door that provides access to the airbag chamber. The airbag system includes an airbag module comprising an airbag support plate having a front surface and a rear surface;
The first airbag is provided on the rear surface of the airbag support plate;
The closet monument assembly of claim 15, wherein the airbag support plate is secured to the rear wall. A cooking chamber monument assembly configured to be positioned inside a vehicle,
A cooking chamber monument including a front wall, a rear wall, an outer wall and an inner wall that cooperate to define the monument interior;
First and second airbag modules each including first and second airbag support plates fixed to the rear wall of the cooking chamber monument;
The rear wall includes a front surface and a rear surface, a first flap formed by a first weakened line set formed on the rear wall, and a second formed by a second weakened line set formed on the rear wall. Including flaps,
A first airbag provided on the rear surface of the first airbag support plate, and a collision; Each comprising a second airbag configured to deploy in the case of a state and provided on the rear surface of the second airbag support plate;
A cooking chamber monument assembly, wherein the first airbag is positioned proximate to the first flap and the second airbag is positioned proximate to the second flap.   20. A cooking chamber monument assembly according to claim 19, wherein the weakening line comprises a tear seam formed in the rear wall. The first airbag support plate includes a first inflator tank fixed to the front surface thereof;
21. The cooking chamber monument assembly of claim 20, wherein the second airbag support plate includes a second inflator tank secured to the front surface thereof. The first airbag module includes a first inflator tank secured to a portion of the cooking chamber monument at a location remote from the first airbag support plate;
20. The cooking chamber monument assembly of claim 19, wherein the second airbag module includes a second inflator tank secured to a portion of the cooking chamber monument at a location remote from the second airbag support plate. A third airbag module including a third airbag support plate fixed to the rear wall of the cooking chamber monument;
The third airbag support plate includes a front and rear surfaces, and a third airbag provided on the rear surface of the third airbag support plate and configured to be deployed in a collision state.
20. The cooking chamber monument assembly of claim 19, wherein the third airbag is positioned proximate to a third flap formed by a set of third weakening lines formed in the rear wall. At least the first airbag module includes a first door positioned proximate to the first airbag support plate;
20. The cooking chamber monument assembly of claim 19, wherein the first door is movable between an open position and a closed position and is hingedly secured to the front surface of the rear wall by a flexible strap.

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